Aeroplane.



W. E. TILLINGHAST.

AEROPLANE. APPLICATION FILED APB.. 14, 1910. 4 1,009,200, entea Nov.21,1911. I 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PET

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UMeSSeS W; E. TILLINGHAST.

ABBDPLANE. AP-Pmourolw FILED 11211.14, 1910.

Patendmmm, 1911.

8 BHEETS-SHEET 2.

@l-leases M M W AEROPLANE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented N0". 2l 191 1 Application filed April 14, 1910. Serial No. 555,412.

Y To all wh'om itmzy concern:

Berit known that I, \V \I.LAeE E. TiLLIivG- Has'r, acitizen of the United States, residing at Vorcester, in the county of 'orcester and rState of Massachusetts, have invented an AImprovement in Aeroplanes, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is aspecification, like letters on the drawings represent ing llike parts.

My invention aims to increase the serviceableness and responsiveness of the aeroplane or heavier-than-air flying machine, by pro- .viding, in connectionwith rigid planes, not

susceptible of any distortion o'r deforma- .'t-lon, a rigid elevating plane, and rigid auxiliary planes or stablishers.

One of the objects of my invention 1s to eliminate the so-called win -War )in and the attendant complications ofv mechanism and operation, and also to avoid the necessity, heretofore common, of using the rudder to establish horizontal equilibrium.

In carrying out my invention I provide the machine with two auxiliary planes, one adjacent, and preferably above, each lateral end of the main lifting plane or planes, said auxiliary vplanes'being pivotally mounted on Upivots extending transversely to the length of the machine, so that the auxiliary planes turn in a substantially vertical plane eX- tending in thc direction of flying movement, to vary the angle of incidence of said respective planes, said planes being preferably operated to increase the angle of incidence of one thereof and simultaneously decrease the angle of incidence of the other thereof, Whenever the main plane requires to be brought back to its normal or horizontal position.

, A further feature resides in providing an independently acting rudder of rigid construction, which, combined*with thc other features of my invention, docs not require nection with the followingdetailed descrip-- operation to establish the horizontal equilibrium of the machine.

` Also in connection with thc main or supporting plane or planes at the front end of the machine, I provide a rigid elevating plane pivotally mounted on the lower side of therear of the laeroplane body', in connection with a vertical rigid lin on the upper side of the body and its rear end. The further novel features and the vadvantages thereof will'be pointed out incontion of my invention, and further defined in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front view of the machine Substantially as it, would appear to a spectator standing on-the ground in frontof it.; Fig. 2 is a View thereof in side elevation; Fig. 3 is a top plan view thereof and Fig. 4 is a substantially diagrammatic view showing the 'arrangement of the operating cables.

The body or fuselage l of the aeroplane, comprises any convenient form of strong frame-work '2 covered with canvas 3 and braced with suitable stay wires 4, 5.

Any suitable propelling power is used, herein shown `as a propeller 6 driven by a gas engine or motor 7 mounted on the body 1 in front of the aviators seat 8 and passengers seat 9.

As herein shown, my invention is applied to a inonoplane type of machine, the main lifting plane being mo-unted at the front end of the body l and having its two end portions 10, 11, which constitute the main lifting plane, arranged at a dihedral angle to each other, and each parabolic in cross section, and extending out laterally rigidly at all points, being trussed and-braced in any well known manner and hence not need ing further description of details. The 'body is. not less than two-thirds thev total length of this main'lifting plane. Pivotedat 12 to the under side o-f the rear end of the body 1 I mount an elevating'l plane 13, from which extend 'operating cables or wires 14, 15, which extend to a hand lever 16 or any other suitable operating device, being connected thereto respectively above and below thc pivot. 17 of said lever, whereby the angle of the elevating plane may be varied by turningthe same on its transverse horizontal pivot 12. vCentrally above the plane 13 I provide a Vertical lin 18, herein shown as made of canvas and extending from the longitudinal middle of the top of the body ll to a truss wire 19 and supported by vertical struts 20, 2l. The latter constitutes also the pivot post of an inflexible or rigid rud der 22 operated by cables or wires 9.3, 2l, secured to the extremities of a cross bar 25 and thence passing over pulleys 26 to pivoted foot treadles 27, 28, or anyV other suitable operating mechanism.

Coperating with the main lifting plane 10, 11, -I provide vauxiliary planes 29, 30, which are `preferably mounted above the main lifting plane.

- dihedral angle and These auxiliary planes g' are located at the opposite ends of the main lifting plane and are rigid and built on-a are-not parallel to the adjacent portion of the main lifting plane.-=' Suitable supports for these auxiliary planes j are provided, herein shown comprising; central posts 3l, 32, and brace wires or trusses 33., 'Phe planes 29 and SO'are pivoted tothe supporting posts on the center of the line of lift Vor at 'the point of equilibrium of the upward thrust, their said pivots l extending horizontally transversely of the| 'operating-"means, herein ience, by the machine, as indicated at 34, and the' said pivotal point. or center of equilibrium of.)y

upward thrust being approximately one quarter of the distance from` the advancing y edge of the rear or following edge. Suitable t shown as cables or I wires 535, 36, 37, 38, Vare provided for turning tneseauxiliary planes on their pivots, i said operating wires or cablesleadingdown'/t to directingpulleys 39, carried, for convenmain lifting plane; and thence over pulleys 40, see Fig. 4, to a drum 41 on the lower end `of a steering wheel shaft 42 f operated bya steering wheel 43. The cables t 235, 36, pass/around the drum 41 in opposite directions so that when the drum is turned, one of said cables is slackened and the other tightened, and the cables 37, 38 also pass around the drum in opposite directions but reversely to the preceding ca-bles, so that when the drum is turned to tighten the cable it slackens the cable 3T and tightens the I cable 38. l prefer to operate the two auxiliary planes together in this manner although l do not intend to restrict myself] thereto as .l believe that the provision of! these rigid, pivoted auxiliary planes as described is new irrespective of whether they l are operated together or separately from each other and from the rest of the machine.

i i j I Also while/these auxiliary planes may be used with any ot the nell-known kinds of I aeroplanes,'one of my objects is to devise a l practical, superior machine in which there shall be'no wing-warping or distortion or` deformation of the various planes, and aeeordingly in my preferred construction all the planes are rigid and incapable of any l distortion during flight.

One of the main features of my invention resides in providing an auxiliary plane at a great distance from the center of the lifting plane for establishing balaneg, which I can be controlled and made to lift' a minimum or maximum, preferably both operating in unison, at the will of the operator. The two auxiliary planes have the well-f known dihedral angle, shape or construcl tion, and lie in substantially one and the same horizontal plane, so that each diverges from the plane of the adjacent wing or end this forward or main or upward thrust on pivotally connected one above each end of lifting plane, it will be evident that by turning said auxiliary planes on their pivots their angles of incidence'may be varied to provide exactly the balancing control required for maintaining the horizontal stability of the aeroplane in flight. Normally the auxiliary planes 29, 30, have the same relative angle of incidence as the main plane and will each lift or develop the same proportional upward thrust. If however -the aeroplane tips, the operator, by his controlling lever' or levers, herein shown as `the hand wheel lever 42, inthe body of the aeroplane, increases the angle of incidence of the auxiliary plane on the lower tipped side and decreases the angle of incidence of the auxiliary plane on the higher tipped side, thereby increasing the lifting the outer end.l of the main lifting plane at the lower tipped side of the machine, and decreasin the lifting or upward thrust on the opposite outer end of the main plane atpthe higher tipped side of the machine. The result is that the aeroplane is at once brought back to its normal or horizontal position. The rear or elevating plane 13 is likewise rigid 'or incapable of any'distortionin Hight, and by moving the lever 16, its angle of incidence is changed 1n obvious manner for the purpose of raisf" ingor lowering the rear end of the body or fuselage and thereby alter the angle of incidence of the main lifting plane and thereby elevate or lower the entire aeroplane while in flight. The vertical rudder 22 is also rigid at the extreme rear end of the body immediately Aat the rear of the vertical rigid fin 18, the latter' horizontal direction and preventing the swinging of the rear end of the aeroplane while in flight.V

All of the parts thus far described coperate in permitting the rudder to act independently under the control of the foot levers' 27, 2S, for the purpose of controlling the lateral directionof the' flight.

It will be understood that I have purposely omitted a multitude of corstructional details, my drawings and this .lescription being confined to those features which coni stitutc my invention.

lilaving described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,

.\n aeroplane, comprising a main lift ing` plane, an auxiliary plane pivotally mounted back from its advancing edge above each end of said main plane at a distance therefrom and extending as a whole at an angle to the adjacent end of the main plane, and means under the control of the operator for increasing the angle of iucigiving stability in a dence of one of said auxiliaryplanes and si l multaneously decreasing the angle of iucil.

Cali

dence of the other auxiliary plane for'establishing the horizontal position of the aeroplane.'l

Anaeroplane, comprising a mainlifting plane, an auxiliary plane pivotally mounted above eachjend of said mainplane at a distance therefrom, and means under the c'ontrolofthe operator for increasing the angle of incidence of one of said auxiliary, planes `and.simultaneously decreasing the angle (if incidence` of the other auxiliary plane -fforfestablishing the. horizontal posi.

tionof the4 aeroplane, each auxiliary plane having a dihedral angle shape and extending as awhole at an angle to the adjacent end of -thenfiainliftng plane. l

3. Andaeroplane, comprising a permanently rigid liftin plane having its end portions downwar y curved in the direction of the length of the machine and at a dihedral angle with relation to each other transversely of the machine, and a permanently rigid auxiliary plane above each outer end of said lifting plane, each auxiliary plane being downwardly curved in the.

directionof the lengthof the machine and having kthe shape of a dihedral angle viewed transversely .of the machine andextending from the adjacent end fportion of said. li ing plane, the outer end of the'auxiliary plane being nearer the lifting plane than the inner' end thereof, each auxiliary plane being pivotally mounted back from its advancing edge at approxivmately the center of the line of lift thereof on al pivoti extending transversely of the length of the. machine.

@.iAn aeroplane, comprising a perma- .nentlyv rigid lifting plane having its end portions downwardly curved in the direction ofthel length of the machine and at a dihedral angle with relation to each other transversely of the machine, a permanently rigid auxiliary plane above each outer end of said lifting plane, each auxiliary plane being downwardly curved in the direct-ion of the length of the machine and having the shapeofa dihedral angle viewed trans versely of the machine and extending as a whole divergently from the adjacent end portion of said lifting plane, the outer end ofthe auxiliary plane being Inearer the lifting plane than the inner end thereof, each auxiliary plane being pivotally mounted backl from its advancing edge at approximately the center of the line of lift thereof on a pivot extending transversely of the length of the machine, and means for simultaneously turning saidwtwo auxiliary planes in opposite directions on their respective pivots.

5. An aeroplane, comprising a permanently rigid lifting plane having its end portions downwardly curved in the direction of the length of the machine and at a dihedral angle with relation to each other transversely of the machine, and a permanently rigid auxiliary plane above each outer end of said lifting plane', cach auxiliary plane 'being downwardly curved in the direction of the length of the machine and having the shape of a dihedral angle viewed transversely of the machine and extending as a whole divergently from the adjacent end portion of said lifting plane, the outer end of the auxiliary )lane being nearer the lifting plane than tilie inner end thereof, each auxiliary plane heilig pivotally mounted back from its advancing edge at approximately the center of the line of lift thereof, thc two pivots of said two auxiliary planes being approximately in alinement with each other, and operating mechanism under the control of the operator for operating the said auxiliary planes.

Iii testimony whereof, l have signed my naine to this specification, in the presence of two suhscribin witnesses.

lVALL CE E. TlLLlNGHAST. tnesses Mixxii S. liiiiiixciiiisr, THOMAS J. CLARKE.

, lGopies of this patent mayv be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 

